FIRST DAY IN NZ

FIRST DAY IN NZ
4:30am at Tullamarine-never seen it so quiet. At least the service at the desk and Hungry Jacks was better than usual-food and coffee fresh and hot. Bag four kilos underweight,
Chatted on the plane with a man from Hamilton who works in the timber and Laminex areas for Fletcher Challenge. His elderly mother has just had her Christchurch house zoned red-which means demolition and compensation. She will take the money and leave.
Auckland airport as quiet as a cemetery-the immigration people almost "rucked" in order to process me and the guy who did, correctly deduced my 3o+day stay must have something to do with Rugby."Good on yer mate" was his endorsement/blessing? From baggage to door I was welcomed and accosted at every 10 paces by volunteer greeters who were as toey as Usain Bolt on the blocks to serve someone come hell or high water. When I veered towards the gents I feared one might even join me at the urinal to help me in case I faltered and to marvel at the NZ facility. Glad to say Laphroaig whisky was cheaper than the outrageous price in Melbourne duty free-$80 for 750clitres, Auckland $80(c/o exchange rate) for a Litre. Will keep the cold out on Southern nights. Auckland weather-sunny one minute then pelting rain and horizontal hail stones the next-glad I brought my full kit-Goretex coat and overtrousers(intended for wet rugby game watching but may need it on the streets)
Service slipped to Pacific Island charm-incompepence level with the charming and affable Fijian taxi driver who couldn't distinguish between Kingsford Smith Place(where my campervan was) and Kingsford place(a street of delapidated houses in the roughest of the Pacific Islander areas) To my relief the United office was bright and cheery, full of multi-lingual Europeans. My "hostess" was a very pretty and naive Dutch girl who had only been in NZ since April. She had not heard of Raglan but brightened when I told her it was full of pot smoking refugees from Amsterdam. She believed me!!
The van is great. Well appointed Toyota Hi-ace-big enough but not as awkward to handle and park as the four berth jobs. Only downside is the manual gear box. Had a few hill starts that terrified those behind (and me) before I recalled how to do it(much smoke and burning smells).

SIGN OUTSIDE CAMP SITE
It was hard to find the Trotting track whose carpark has been given over to rugby following campervanners.When I claimed my spot I was hailed as the only person from Australia amongst wall to wall (already celebrating hard at 2pm) Young Irishmen-all in their national and club colours.Everyone of them must be pining for their mothers milk judging by the number of bottles being brandished and sucked!! What with them and the harness racing being on to-night it should be a noisy and boisterous first night in NZ
Only "facilities" here are portaloos-no showers and no food-so fortunately it is next to a Burger King with clean loos and hot water(might have to wash in malt whisky??).Fascinating to see very casually dressed parents with their strictly uniformed offspring from surrounding private schools queuing for burgers etc at close of Friday school.

A tall, willowy teenage girl wore the interesting combination of black skirt to below her ankles but with huge thigh splits and topped with a no 12 rugby shirt-truly a tall black. Are they keen on rugby here?-menacing black BMWs race through town with silver fern All Black flags fluttering from front door windows, driven by genteel siver haired women. Houses along the way from the airport sported the flags of all the rugby nations here. Can't wait to see what the centre of town feels like-might go in by bus tonight and avoid "fraternising" with the Irish in their cups.

AUCKLAND STREET-BURGER VAN



Found a roof-top bar full of All-Black and Irish supporters and a disc jockey losing a competition with NZ v Japan on the several wall-mounted TVs. Great atmosphere-almost hysterical reverence when the blacks did the Haka. Only downside was the smokers taking advantage of it being open to the sky. My anonymity was soon blown by an intense, attractive Asian/Samoan who wanted to know all about my rugby allegiance and who said very complimentary things about Melbourne-as does everyone you meet here.
She and her set were not impressed when I left at half time-the game was a training run for the All Blacks and a cricket score looked likely. There were transport advisers everywhere-all either Indian or Islander/Maori-they were so eager to help-that one charming man took my arm amd escorted me two blocks to the bus stop-outside an all-night girlie bar which, judging by the girls and weird men coming out for a smoke, was more than raunchy. Although the helper was so caring he was not helpful(or at least encouraging) in that he didn't know whetehr this was the right stop for the right bus. Seems that on the previous Friday(WRC opening night) despite 4 years advance planning the rail system collapsed under the passenger load and even the mothers of two All Black players missed the match!! French-Veolia-runs the trains.
Soon off to sleep despite noise of nearby trotting meeting and Irish carousing.